UKC

Ever had to fight your way to the base of the crag through thick dense undergrowth?

Or even ever failed to find the crag on a hillside of dense foliage?

The BMC and climbers around the UK have plans to remedy this.

Read more: http://www.ukclimbing.com/news/

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: about bloody time

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Guisecliff and Eavestone could take up a lifetime.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

agent orange....napalm?

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:


Froggatt Far Left
Baslow Far Right
Most of Gardoms
Bits of Chatsworth
Turning Stone Edge
Eastwood Rocks (if they can do anything about this place I will be impressed)

That will do for starters.

Chris

In reply to Chris Craggs:

Was hoping it was Gardoms that was going to get a bit of pruning when I saw the title but alas no - still it does make a fun day trying to guess where you are from the top of the crag. Chatsworth could do with some serious attention as well judging from the one visit I have made to it.

bluebrad

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

If Gardoms does not get something done in the next couple of years it will become like Guisecliffe.

My visit last year, using the Derwent valley guide showed how it has changed, references to Milestone buttress, named after the place a milestone had been, now you cannot see the road from the top of the crag.

Further references to the prominemt buttresses of Moyers, Eliots and Undertakers as markers are useless now. The trees have grown larger than the crag, yet I can remember being able to see Undertakers from over 200 yards away at one time.

Rivelin got some pruning, and it seems to have done some good though it needs constant checking for encroachment of scrub and brambles on some routes.

Maybe a database of which buttresses we need to keep clear, and which to let go is needed, then people could remove stuff in places with a clear conscience

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Good stuff so long as its adequately directed, on exisiting climbs, with the advice of conservation bodies but I d be a little wary of giving climbers 'full licence' to clear vegetation. Barambles and Ivy are ok to clear in identifeid areas but I don't think most climbers are qualified to identify more 'important' species which might suffer in the process. Pant Ifan for example has protected scree communities.

One bad example of ivy 'pruning' was the far right of Hyll Drem where an ancient ivy was cut down to gain a few feet of bouldering.

But in general it aall sounds good co-opeartive work.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:


Excellent publicity. Badly needed for Lakes valley crags esp. Borrowdale and Thirlmere. Routes are disappearing fast!!

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Weem crags in perthshire (outside aberfeldy).

We were on a road trip through perthshire and thought we would drop in to check out weem crag, but over an hour of exploration along the paths through the woods (following the directions from a well known climbing mag), we found only the bouldering wall (which was great on it's own), but could not find the main crags. The description was sketchy at best, and marker points were no longer present (because they had been destroyed or moved).

Hope to go back and find it, but will have to give it more time for exploration in future.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
.....and Caley. Look at the photo of Percy on Boot Crack in the CURRENT guide - the boulder is completely dwarfed by a huge silver birch now.

Chris

In reply to Yorkspud:


You are right. I do know of one local crag near me that has access problems due to the stripping of ivy.

I think the first port of call is always to get in touch with the BMC...the head office.

Mick

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: Shipley Glen, Kia Ora Wall area could do with a couple of branches from the trees removing its so green !

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

The left hand side of Hetchell Crags is now very sadly neglected, tree branches are now touching the crag, The top of the routes/problems are now sadly overgrown with brambles. Lack of light and traffic at this end of the crag has left it in a sad state.

Crags within a nature reserve managed by the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, be good to see negotiated management of the trees at the base of the crag and cutting back the brambles at the top of the crag.

In reply to Alphin:

I may know a board member of YWT.

I agree with Caley. That photo of Boot Crack in the guide bears NO resemblance to that area now.

I do however quite enjoy Caley bush bashin. Some of the boulders need "sorting" however.

In reply to Alphin:

Hetchell Wood is a SSSI and may is on the agenda for a 'new' management agreement which could include access considerations. I'll put BMC in touch with relevant contact

In reply to Yorkspud:

Thanks - shame to see the crag in such a poor state.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:


They need to do what happened at Wharncliffe - someone decides it needed returning to a 'heath' - buzzzz, whack, crash, crunch - the area is denuded in no time flat!
It's not double standards though!


Chris

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:
There was a big clearing of trees ect. around Tissington Spires back in the 80's. I think the N.T. paid for most of it and there were many volunteers. It's a matter of someone coordinating it all. May be the area committee’s and BMC could do with some volunteers to help with all this work.

In reply to rusty_nails:

I know what you mean about Weem - we were there last month and only found the Secret Garden crag after bushwacking through rhoddedendrons, wild roses and general muddy wooded hillside, only to find the place wet.

A further half hour was required to find Weem Rock itself, most as you say, due to poor access notes and missing marker points.

Worth the effort of trying again though.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Yup. Hagg Wood, Swaledale.

In reply to Flibble: Helped out at a couple of NT/BMC days up at Brimham, clearing trees etc. Was hard work but a good laugh the NT staff made us particularly welcome (providing tea and climbing with us later)... It was interesting to talk to them about their on-going fight against bracken! Would certainly do it again...

Andy

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Next Tremadog clean up day will probably be January 13th. More publicity nearer the time. All welcome, it really is a case of many hands make light work.

Mike Raine

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com: The cuttings (Portland) look like they need a bit of a trim. I'm up for it if someone wants to organise.

In reply to Mick Ryan - UKClimbing.com:

Gardoms certainly needs some trimming. Having climbed most of the routes there (some of which are excellent) it would certainly benefit from some gardening.

J